Link Parking County Court

ControlTheLeaf

Johnersh wrote: »

Blimey. A 2004 call. That's quite senior for a minor parking issue.

What do you mean? They dont tend to get people like her involved?

[Deleted User]

Simple enough, really:

An advocate is common. Most of those retained
by PPCs to do these hearings are 'babies.' Law graduates, who have sat a postgraduate - strictly speaking, barristers, but often with limited experience. They join agencies often between securing long-term roles for cash and advocacy experience - lots of hearings sharpens up court skills quickly.

Your advocate appears to have a regular practice (in healthcare, oddly enough) and with more than a decade of court experience. I'd expect her to charge more to reflect that....

Coupon-mad

ControlTheLeaf wrote: »

Details:

Own (rented property) residential space in private gated compound. Permit was on passenger seat rather than the windscreen permit holder.

Court report:

Hearing was scheduled at 12:00 at the Gloucester County & Family court so arrived early (11:30), went through security and spoke to the usher. The waiting room was empty for around 10 more minutes or so when a lady swanned in, and introduced herself as Ms Lewis and that she has been appointed by Gladstones to be their barrister.

When asked, she got a bit evasive as to whether she was an employee of Gladstones and only said that she was a 'barrister at Bristol Chambers'. She then proceeded to disappear until 5 minutes before we were called in (which was 12:00 on the dot).

In the office, we introduced ourselves (my partner was being my rep as I have a stutter and it would have taken an age to say anything) and the DJ was very friendly and thorough in explaining the procedures and what happens next i.e I will be asked questions, then everyone will have a turn to say their piece.

Ms Lewis then proceeded to be quite aggressive with her questions to me, and made a lot of 'suggestions to the court' that I was lying and that the permit wasn't in the car at all. Her main points were that there were several pictures of the car with no permit, and that the contract between our landlord and Link Parking say that we should have a valid permit on display in the window. She also said that an upstanding member of a parking company would have had enough sense and integrity to not issue a ticket if there was a permit anywhere on display. (hahahaha)

My partner countered with the pictures of signs and our own contract that only say that a valid permit should be on display. A point was also made about how awful the glare was in the pictures they took, and all you can see is that there wasn't a permit in the holder on the windscreen.

It seems the judge must have heard enough after this, as she stopped us and summed up the case. The summing up felt like it lasted a lifetime as it does when you have no idea if you have won or not, but the DJ was very kind and said that I had stood my ground when cross examined- that I had looked her in the eyes when saying the permit was in the car and that she definitely believed me. She dismissed the case saying that Link Parking were unjustified in giving out a ticket. I then proceeded to give her my costs sheet (time off work, mileage, parking) and all was fine.

All in all the process took around 45 minutes and was completely worth the look on Ms Lewis' face as she held the door open for me.

I'm not sure which DJ I had, as my letter said DJ Ellery but the daily court list thing had a different name on..


MSE has been so useful, especially the sticky and the people that have answered my nooby questions. Thanks!

I've just caught up with this outcome, glad to see another one bites the dust!

VERY well done to you and your wife and for getting costs as well.

:T

ControlTheLeaf

Recieved letter confirming dismissal. Name of judge was District Judge Toussaint